Surgeon s knife



(K0 Model.)

'W. AUTENRIET'H. SURGEONS KNIFE.

No. 576,648. Patented Feb. 9, 1897.

Ryan/52" 1 2 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM AUTENRIETH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SURGEONS KNIFE.

\ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,648, datedFebruary 9, 1897.

Application filed April 27, 1896. Serial No. 589,228. (No modeLl .l'0aZZ 1072,0171, it may concern..-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM AUTENRIETH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Im-. provements in Surgeons Knives;and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, attention beingcalled to the accompanying drawings, with the reference-numerals markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of knives,particularly such as are intended for surgical purposes.

The objects to be attained are a knife with a firm connection betweenhandle and blade, which, however, permits the latter to be folded backbetween the two'parts of the handle for protection when not-in use.

In the following specification and particularly pointed out in theclaims is found a full description of the invention, its parts, andconstruction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 shows the knife-blade placed in positionagainst one of the parts constituting the handle and before the otherpart of the latter is connected. Fig. 2 shows in a perspective view allparts of the knife in their relative positions which they assume for thepurpose and prior to their connection. Fig. 3 shows the knife completedwith the blade in position for use. Fig. 4 is a side or edge view of theknife as it appears in Fig. 3. Fig.

5 shows a view similar to Fig. 1, one of the handle parts being removedto permit insertion of the blade between them to be protected when notin use.

The knife consists substantially of a handle in two parts or sections,which are connected in a manner to hold the knife-blade, the shank ofwhich reaches between them, firmly in position.

8 is the blade, which may be of any shape to suit the particularpurpose. Its shank 9 fits between two lugs 10, which form part of one ofthe handle-halves 11 in this case and project therefrom to a thicknesswhich equals about the thickness of the blade-shank between them. Back,that is, inwardly, of these lugs the shank spreads and forms an eye 12with a circular opening, and beyond this the shank continues again inform of a short projection or stub 13, of a width and thickness solocated that when the two sections are placed against each other thispost will enter eye-opening 12, into which it closely fits. Centrallysecured to this post 16 and projecting therefrom is a button 17 of asize capable of passing through opening 14 in section 11. The neck 18 ofthis button is of alength equal to the thickness of the handle-section11, so that when the parts are placed together, as shown in Fig. 2,handle-section 15 will lie against the blade-shank, and with its post 16occupy eye-opening 12 therein, while the bu tton-neck 18 is withinopening 14 of handlesection 11, with button 17 having passed clearthrough opening 14 and protruding on the other side of handle-section1 1. Now in order to enable button 17 to hold the two handlesectionstogether in theirnormal position, its position with reference to opening14 is such that the handle-sections must be placed in an abnormalposition on each other in order to permit button 17 to enter opening 14.Vhen the handle-sections are then straightened on each other, the endsof button 17 pass beyond the edges of opening 14 and lie over parts ofthe contiguous outer surface of section 11. This is best shown in Fig.3, which shows the connection completed, and in which button 17 holdsthe two handle-sections together with the knife-blade closely confinedbetween them. During this straightening movement of the handle-sectionspost 16 turns in eye-hole 12, while neck 18 of button 17 turns inopening 14. The handle-sections are now held in their normal position oneach other by a projection on one which enters a depression in theother, while the knifeblade is held rigidly by post16 and between lugs10.

In ractice the projections and depressions above mentioned are bestobtained by a lug 19 on one section which fits into the space formedbetween lugs 20 on the other section. These latter being of metalpossess enough spring action to permit a separation of the sectionssufficient to permit lug 19 to be passed over lugs 20 to enter the spacebetween the latter.

21 is simply a post secured to one of the handle-sections, and of aheight equal to the space between them. prevents collapse of the handleunder a firm grip.

The parts may be separated for thorough cleaning by simply disconnectingthem, which is done in a manner in reverse as described for theirconnection. For such purpose the handle-sections are first slightlypried apart to permit disengagement of lugs 19 and 20, after which theyare swung on each other to a point where button 17 becomes free to bereturned and passed out of opening 11.

If the knife is not needed, the blade may be inserted, as shown in Fig.5, with projection 13 in the space between lugs 10, which hold the bladein place between the handle, the same as shank 9 would with the blade inthe other position. The handle-sections are otherwise connected again toeach other the same as before.

I-Iaving described my invention, I claim as new 1. In a knifeconstruction, the combination of a blade having a shank provided with aneye-0pening 12 some distance from the end of the latter so that parts ofsaid shank are on either side of the eye-opening, projecting in oppositedirections therefrom, part 9 being extended and forming the blade andpart 13 being simply a projection in line with part 9, a handle in twosections, one having a post 16 adapted to enter eye-opening 12 to holdthe knife-blade to the handle, lugs 10 on one of the sections which areadapted to receive between them either part 9 or part 13 of the shankand whereby the blade is prevented from swinging on post 16 and heldrigid either, as in the first ease, in operative position or, as in thesecond case, with the blade between and covered by the handle-sections,a button 17 on one and an opening in the other handle-section throughwhich said button is adapted to pass, but only before suchhandle-sections are in normalposition so that, after the latter areturned to normal position, the button is prevented from returningthrough said opening and thereby enabled to lock all parts, that is thehan dle-sections with the shank of the knife-blade between, together andmeans to prevent the handle-sections from turning out of their normalposition.

2. In a knife construction, the combination of a blade having a shankprovided with an eye-opening 12 some distance from the end of the latterso that parts of said shank are on either side of the eye-openingprojecting in opposite directions therefrom, part 9 being extended andforming the blade and part 13 being simply a projection in line withpart 9, a handle in two sections, one having a post 10' adapted to entereye-opening 12 to hold the knife-blade to the handle, lugs 10 on one ofthe sections which are adapted to receive between them either part 9 orpart 13 of the shank and whereby the blade is prevented from swinging onpost 16 and held rigid either, as in the first case in operativeposition or, as in the second case, with the blade between and coveredby the handle-sections, a button 17 on one and an opening in the otherhandle-section through which said button is adapted to pass, but onlybefore such handle-sections are in normal position so that after thelatter are turned to normal position, the button is prevented fromreturning through said opening and thereby enabled to lock all parts,that is, the handlesect-ions with the shank of the knife-blade between,together and projections on one handle-section adapted to engage with depressions in the other whereby the handlesections are held on each otherin their normal position.

I11 testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

\VILLIAM AUTENRIETII.

\Vitnesses:

C. SPENGEL, ARTHUR KLINE.

